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ZABUL, Afghanistan - The 1st Battalion 158th Field Artillery
Regiment (MLRS) has a long and proud tradition as part of the
Oklahoma National Guard. Its roots date back to May 20, 1927, when
it was organized and federally recognized with Headquarters in
Kingfisher, Okla. Over the years, many Oklahomans have answered the
call to serve and become part of something larger than one's own
self. For many families in Oklahoma, this calling has become a
family tradition passed from father to son and brother to brother as
a fraternal order of citizen soldiers.
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A HIMARS from Alpha Battery, 1-158 Field Artillery, Oklahoma
National Guard, from Fort Sill, located in Zabul, Afghanistan,
shoots a rocket in support of Operation Brothers United on January
29, 2014. This was the first time a rocket was shot from the guard
unit since Desert Storm.
(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Toby Cook)
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On Feb. 16, 1991, launchers of Alpha Battery, 1st Bn.,
158th FA Regt., fired rockets on enemy targets in support of
Operation Desert Storm. Bravo Battery and Charlie Battery
would soon join Alpha Battery and begin hitting enemy
targets in preparation for the ground offensive. In total,
1st Bn., 158th FA Regt., OKARNG, fired 903 rockets and
traveled hundreds of kilometers in support of VII Corps
operations.
The OKARNG has deployed multiple times in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi
Freedom since the war on terrorism began. The 1st Bn., 158th
FA Regt., has had its share of those deployments, but has
always had a non-standard mission verses a field artillery
mission. More than two decades have passed since 1st Bn.,
158th FA Regt., had a field artillery mission during
deployment. On Oct. 14, 2013, Alpha Battery deployed in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom to support Regional
Command (South) in Afghanistan with a field artillery HIMARS
mission.
This mission has been a long time coming for the soldiers of
Alpha Battery who have served with the battalion as part of those
prior deployments in support of the War of Terrorism. Sergeant First
Class Vernon Defoor has been a part of the battalion in one way or
another since 1984 and has deployed four times as a soldier in the
Oklahoma National Guard. First Sergeant Lance Grant, Sgt. 1st Class
James Brown, Staff Sgt. William Reid, and many other soldiers in
Alpha Battery have grown up in 1st Bn., 158th FA Regt., and have
deployed as many as three times as Oklahoma Guardsmen. Sergeants
Ralph Tocco and Nathan Spencer have answered the call to serve and
deploy with both the 45th Fires Brigade and the 45th Infantry
Brigade Combat Team. Specialist Jeremy Ploof is the supply
specialist of Alpha Battery on his first deployment, and is the son
of retired Master Sgt. Fredrick Ploof III, formerly of Headquarters
and Headquarters Battery, 1st Bn., 158th FA Regt., who is an
Operation Desert Storm veteran as part of the battalion.
Alpha Battery had several obstacles to overcome to meet the mission
requirements to be able to support Combined Task Force Duke, 3rd
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, in Zabul province,
Afghanistan. The battery was immediately split into three locations.
Two locations in RC(S) and one location in RC(W). With men and
equipment spread across Afghanistan meeting mission requirements
would be difficult. First Lieutenant Christopher Lanham and Master
Sgt. Earl Johnson were placed at Kandahar Airfield to run operations
for the portion of the battery that would remain at KAF to perform
non-standard artillery missions.
These non-standard missions are not
always filled with glory and recognition, but are essential to the
Army meeting mission with success. Alpha Battery completed every
mission given by the command in RC(S). At KAF, Alpha Battery
completed Personnel Security Detail missions, route convoy
clearance, entry control point operations, and several other mission
types. Specialist Joshua Tate was even recognized by Maj. Gen. Paul
J. LaCamera, commander, Regional Command (South), as the Hero of the
Day for his professionalism while conducting a non-standard mission.
The equipment and launchers for Alpha Battery were
originally located in RC(W) at Shindand Airfield. Defoor, who was
also a soldier in Alpha Battery during Desert Storm, had the task of
moving all Launchers and other battery equipment to multiple
locations in RC(S). First Lieutenant Bill McGill, Staff Sgt. Michael
Gildow, Staff Sgt. Tommy Bryant, and many others had the over
whelming task of setting up operations in a sterile building on a
forward operating base with limited resources available. Within 48
hours of having launchers on the ground at FOB Apache, Alpha Battery
was capable of providing HIMARS coverage in support of CTF Duke.
On Jan. 16, 2014, Launcher 4-2, 1st Fires Platoon, Alpha
Battery, 1st Bn., 158th FA Regt. (HIMARS), 45th Fires Brigade,
OKARNG, fired two rockets on a target in support of CTF Duke. This
is not an uncommon action in Afghanistan or Iraq since the wars
started more than a decade ago. The unique aspect of this fire
mission is that it is the first fire mission for the battalion shot
in support of a combat operation since Operation Desert Storm.
The M142 HIMARS launcher crew included gunner Spc. Joshua Hale
of Chickasha, Okla., driver Staff Sgt. Steven Stanley of Carnegie,
Okla., and launcher chief Sgt. Matthew Schoolfield of Ninnekah,
Okla. The two Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets fired on
the target Jan. 16 destroyed an enemy repeater sight used to support
communications by insurgents.
This mission is a mark in
history for Alpha Battery. As the battery commander, I will forever
remember this moment in time. However, for Hale and Schoolfield,
this mission has special meaning above that of other soldiers in the
battery. Hale is the son of Specialist Chad Hale, formerly of Bravo
Battery. Schoolfield is the son of Sgt. Richard Schoolfield,
formerly of Charlie Battery. The elder Hale and Schoolfield were
both deployed as part of an M270 MLRS Launcher Battery in the
battalion during Operation Desert Storm.
These two generations of
men from two families from small towns in Oklahoma who chose to
serve in the Oklahoma National Guard as a family tradition fired
rockets in support of combat operations more than two decades apart.
For these men, those small moments in time will forever be linked
through the history of the Oklahoma National Guard, the 45th Fires
Brigade, and the 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment.
Unusual Efforts Expended.
U.S. Army Courtesy Story
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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